1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to archery and more specifically to a shooting bow with a unique cable arrangement, which allows a portion of first and/or second cables to be coupled to first and second cams, and the ends of the cable(s) to be coupled back to an upper and/or lower post. This arrangement enables the device to be self-timing. The present invention may alternately use components other than flexible limbs for storing energy prior to launching the projectile.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Historically, archery bows and crossbows have been used for war, survival, sport, and recreation. A specific component of a compound style shooting bow are the cables. Typically, each cable includes a power end and a control end. The manner in which the cables interact with the cams and limbs of the bow is of particular importance. Typically, the power end of the cable is coupled to the cam on one limb, and the control end of the cable is often coupled to the opposite limb or opposite cam. A very good way to accomplish efficiency is through a binary cam system, wherein the cables are connected to opposing cams, and as one of the cams wraps the cable on the power track, the opposite cam pays out cable from the control track. While all of these methods work to some extent, all have significant issues with performance related to cam lean, and/or assembly and cost. Due to the crossing of cables and the need to keep the cables from interfering with the flight of the arrow, the cables often are off-angle, which in turn creates twisting and torque in a cam axle, thus creating cam lean.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,288 to Ricord discloses a cam lever compound bow, where a bow utilizes single string wrapping pulleys journaled to the ends of the bow limbs, and the ends of the string are coupled to a cam device mounted upon the bow riser. Although, this method does remove the problem of the cables being in the way, it is very inefficient, and timing issues from one limb to the other is a factor. U.S. Pat. No. 7,637,256 to Lee discloses a compound bow, which provides a shooting bow that removes the issue of cables interfering with the flight of the arrow. However the inefficient use of tensioning devices severely limits the potential of this device. U.S. Pat. No. 8,651,095 to Islas discloses a bowstring cam arrangement for compound crossbow, which provides a method of removing the cables from the path of the string. U.S. Pat. No. 9,494,379 to Yehle discloses a crossbow, where Yehle relies on four cables. However, Yehle claims a helical cable track. Issues are created by having separate cables above and below the string track on each cam. If the cables are not of exact length, or if the upper cable stretches more than the lower cable, or visa-versa, the cables must be adjusted by the user to stay in time with each other. Timing of the cables can be a time consuming and a very difficult process.
The above inventions try to keep four cables in proper timing, as opposed to two. The present invention deals with the manner in which the cables are coupled to the cams of the bow or crossbow.
Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art to provide a shooting bow, which allows a mid-portion of first and second cables to be operably coupled to first and second cams (or to exert a force in a plane substantially parallel to first and second cam tracks), and a first end of a cable coupled to a post above the plane of the launch string, and a second end of a cable coupled to a post below the plane of a shooting string, respectively. The cables do not cross the centerline of the shooting bow, or alternately a shooting bow with a launch string and having a single cable, which replaces two cables.